[Milsurplus] Re: URM-32

[Bob Camp]

Hi

I think I would add the Navy LM to the "use a lot" list here. I would 
have to admit that the LM / BC-221 design has certainly withstood the 
test of time pretty well. The URM-32 seems to be a poor second cousin 
to it's WW II relatives in terms of popularity.

I would not be surprised to find that we made and surplused a *lot* 
more BC-221's and LM's than we ever made URM-32's. If you take a look 
at the URM 32 calibration instructions it shows a frequency counter as 
one of the standard alignment tools. I would guess that the whole 
heterodyne frequency meter thing took a nose dive as counters became 
more common in the 1960's.

None of that in any way answers your question of course. About all I 
have ever heard about them is from people who tried to use the VHF / 
UHF capability and found it to be a bit of a stretch. After looking at 
the schematic (early leaded solid state diodes) and the wiring (big 
long leads from the input connector), I can see why 1 GHz (or kilo 
megacycle or what ever) would be a problem.

Looking at the rest of it I'd say that it should beat a BC-221 in the 
repeatability department. All the enclosed coil compartments have to 
help some.

The only thing I might question on the URM-32 are the solder seal 
crystals in the calibration oscillator. Certainly by today's standards 
they are not "lab grade". If there is a weak point in the URM-32 I 
suspect if there is a weak point to the design they are it.

	Take Care!

		Bob Camp
		KB8TQ



On Jul 24, 2004, at 5:09 PM, Kenneth G. Gordon wrote:

> With all this chat about the URM-32, I have to ask: just how useful is
> this instrument? I have two BC-221s and use them constantly.
>
> I also have an URM-90 which I use a lot, and a URM-25H.
>
> What is the consensus on the URM-32?
>
> Ken W7EKB
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